System and method of on-demand document processing

ABSTRACT

A document processing method includes receiving, at a server with a network interface, electronic documents from a user. The server includes a software application adapted to recognize a class of electronic documents to which the electronic documents belong. The method also includes processing the electronic documents received from the user to extract data therefrom based on a recognition that the electronic documents belong to the class of electronic documents. The extracted data corresponds to a service being provided to the user. The method also includes automatically mapping the extracted data from the processed electronic documents to a data repository on the server. The data repository is accessible by the user through the network interface. The method also includes electronically generating output data based on the mapped data from the data repository to the user. The output data corresponds to the service being provided to the user.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to document processing, and, inparticular, to a scaleable integration framework for processingelectronic documents.

2. Description of Related Art

Document processing, for most entities, is an expensive and timeconsuming process because of the need for customization, dedicatedresources, and long sales cycles. Currently-used systems typically workwell for large entities, however, small to medium sized entities alsohave a need for document processing systems. Many of the tools requiredto process and manage digital information are costly and requirespecific expertise for effective use. Systems to store and transfer datasecurely are also costly to own and are often complicated to use.Currently, there are a variety of companies that offer small businesssoftware applications, provide related IT support or ISP, providepayroll services, and provide legal services. Still, other servicesprovide systems to store, share, and access documents, however, theseservices do not provide for a system that automatically classifiesdocuments and/or extracts metadata therefrom. Nor do these servicesprovide a system that processes specific document types that can berecognized and from which data can be extracted and mapped to a datarepository.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a document processing methodincludes receiving, at a server with a network interface, electronicdocuments from a user. The server includes a software applicationadapted to recognize a class of electronic documents to which theelectronic documents belong. The method also includes processing theelectronic documents received from the user to extract data therefrombased on a recognition that the electronic documents belong to the classof electronic documents. The extracted data corresponds to a servicebeing provided to the user. The method also includes automaticallymapping the extracted data from the processed electronic documents to adata repository on the server. The data repository is accessible by theuser through the network interface. The method also includeselectronically generating output data based on the mapped data from thedata repository to the user. The output data corresponds to the servicebeing provided to the user.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a scaleableintegration framework for processing electronic documents to providebusiness services includes a document services grid accessible by a userthrough a web-based interface portal and adapted to receive electronicdocuments. The document services grid includes a hosted server includinga software application adapted to process an electronic documentreceived from the user to extract data therefrom based on a recognitionof a class of the processed electronic document. The extracted datacorresponds to a service being provided to the user. The documentservices grid also includes a data repository operating on the hostedserver. The data repository is configured to store extracted data mappedfrom the processed electronic document. The document services grid isconfigured to generate output data to the user based on the mapped data.The output data corresponds to the service being provided to the user.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a documentprocessing method includes receiving, at a server with a networkinterface, electronic documents from a user. The server includes asoftware application adapted to recognize a class of electronicdocuments to which the electronic documents belong. The method alsoincludes processing the electronic documents received from the user toextract data therefrom based on a recognition that the electronicdocuments belong to the class of electronic documents. The extracteddata corresponds to a service being provided to the user. The methodalso includes automatically mapping the extracted data from theprocessed electronic documents to a data repository on the server. Thedata repository is accessible by the user through the network interface.The method also includes monitoring a behavior of the user based onaccess to the data mapped to the data repository and electronicallygenerating output data from the data repository based on the monitoredbehavior of the user. The output data corresponds to the service beingprovided to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of the various embodiments of the presentdisclosure with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general framework for implementing ascaleable web-based business service using document processing inaccordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sample view of a user interface for use with the web-basedbusiness service in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 is a sample customized user view of a web-based interface of thebusiness service in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a high level framework for adocument services grid according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 5 shows the system architecture of a document services grid inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the presently disclosed scaleable integration frameworkwill now be described in detail with reference to the drawings in whichlike reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements ineach of the several views.

The present disclosure relates to an online service, and, in particular,to a system and method for creating specific document intensive servicesfor well understood, repeatable processes used in specific businesses.The system utilizes basic internet technologies, readily available imagecapture devices, and trained document processing tools that utilizeindustry specific knowledge to provide scaleable services to businessesin an intuitive, low cost of entry/exit model that can be provided tomeet a customer's maturity level. The scalability of the services thatmay be provided applies to the various sizes of customer to which thesystem may provide services. For example, services may be provided bothto large enterprises as well as small businesses. With this purpose inmind, the system provides a document services grid (“DSG”) including ahosted server accessible over the Internet through an intuitiveweb-based interface or customer web portal to combine documentprocessing capabilities (e.g., categorization, extraction, etc.) withcontinuous learning capability (e.g., by example, training, andcontinuous updating). The DSG utilizes trained document processingsoftware to receive and process scanned documents of a specific type(e.g., from a readily available image capture device) via the internet(or web-based interface) such that data can be extracted from thescanned documents and subsequently recognized or classified and mappedto a data repository on the hosted server. Customers have an opportunityto verify, and if necessary, correct the resulting data extractionand/or document classification and store the verified and/or correctedresults in the data repository on the hosted server. In this manner, theDSG is self-learning in that each successful classification andextraction related to a processed document enables the system toaccumulate a so-called “knowledge-base” of documents specific to thecustomer's business and/or preferences. The DSG may be pre-configuredwith industry-specific and/or customer-specific rules that dictate thedata extracted from documents. The DSG utilizes the continuously growingknowledge-base to improve classification accuracy with every documentprocessed and further, grow the maturity level of the service for boththe DSG and the customer, as will be discussed in further detail below.

The DSG is adapted to monitor and analyze its own classification successrate as well as the behavior of customers. In this way, the DSGintelligently and dynamically provides recommendations to the customerrelated to modifying and improving the customer's work practices.Specifically, the DSG monitors for process maturity indicators such as,for example, multiple users looking at the same document, multipledocuments that are similar, and common metadata across a set ofdocuments. As the customer moves up the maturity curve, the DSG suggestsprocess simplifications and/or improved ways of doing business toachieve greater process maturity. As the DSG processes more documents,the tools utilized by the DSG also improve to increase the DSG maturitylevel as well. Further, the DSG monitors and analyzes usage and promptsthe service manager or administrator to invest in more capacity orgreater automation for heavily used services.

In use, the customer uses a standard web browser to connect to theInternet (e.g., using a PC, a cell phone, handheld device, etc.). Usinga device to digitize paper documents (e.g., a standalone scanner or ascanner as part of a multi-function device, a cell phone camera, etc.),the customer digitizes documents for uploading, via the web browser, tothe DSG. Customers may also upload electronically created documents. TheDSG hosts client software that is utilized through downloadable plug-insto provide iconic access to the data repository on the hosted server.The customer may utilize one or more icons and/or shortcuts on thedesktop of their PC or the interface of a computing device to uploaddocuments (e.g., via drag and drop), review uploaded documents processedby the DSG for purposes of verification and/or correction, and receivenotifications, discussed in further detail below. Further, an iconand/or shortcut on the desktop or interface is provided to facilitateaccess to the data repository on the hosted server to view their storeddata. The view of the data repository for a given customer may bedictated by customer preference and/or the specific business and/orindustry (e.g., legal, accounting, customer service, etc.) in which thecustomer is involved. As referenced herein, the term “customer” mayrefer to one or more users of the service operating under a commonsubscription to the service. That is, a customer may be one or moreusers working or owning the same business for which the service is beingprovided (e.g., partners, owners, employees, etc.).

Referring now to FIG. 1, a scaleable business services system 100 isshown and generally includes a hosted server 140 accessible by a user110 over the Internet 120 through a customer interface portal orscaleable business services website 130 (“SBS website 130”). The SBSwebsite 130 may be, for example, an Internet-based hosted service (e.g.,Web 2.0®) accessed over the Internet 120 via a customer web portal.Using a standard web browser, the user 110 may connect to the Internet120 to access the data repository on the hosted server 140 through theSBS website 130. With this purpose in mind, the user 110 may utilize aPC, a cell phone, and/or any suitable web-enabled handheld device toconnect to the SBS website 130. Customer software requirements areminimal in that plug-ins may be used to provide iconic access to thehosted server 140 through the SBS website 130.

Utilizing a suitable scanning device (not explicitly shown) such as, forexample, a scanner, a digital camera, or a cell phone camera, thecustomer or user 110 digitizes documents for uploading to a datarepository on the hosted server 140. Suitable security mechanisms suchas encryption (e.g., secure sockets layer or transport layer security)may be used to secure a connection between the user 110 and the hostedserver 140. In this manner, any documents or data communicated to orfrom the hosted server 140 may be encrypted to ensure that customerinformation is kept private. Documents may include, for example withoutlimitation, electronic documents, image files from a multi-functiondevice (“MFD”), and image files from a camera phone or digital camera.In embodiments, the DSG is adapted to receive image files transmittedfrom an MFD or cell phone camera directly. The hosted server 140 may beany suitable network device running any known operating system andconfigured to communicate data over a network (e.g., the Internet 120).In other words, a computer, switch, router, gateway, network bridge,proxy device or other network device that is programmed or otherwiseconfigured to operate as explained herein is considered an embodiment ofthis disclosure.

With reference to FIG. 2, a sample view or interface 200 of a user'sdisplay device (e.g., hand held device, intelligent phone, PC, etc.) isshown to illustrate how the user 110 may communicate and/or interactwith the DSG, as described in further detail below. Users 110 transfer(e.g., drag and drop) their documents and/or electronic images into theappropriate folder or shortcut on their interface 200. For example, inthe illustrated embodiment, customers are provided with one or morefolders and/or shortcuts. Customers have a customized view of the datarepository based on their preferences, specific business and/orindustry, or the service to which the customer has subscribed.

With returning reference to the interface 200 shown in FIG. 2, the user110 may transfer documents (e.g., utilizing drag and drop) to anin-basket 220 whereupon the transferred documents are automatically andsecurely transmitted to the data repository on the hosted server 140.Utilizing a suitable software application, the hosted server 140automatically classifies the transferred document(s) and extractsessential metadata therefrom. For example, the host server 140 mayemploy a suitable processing software application having opticalcharacter recognition (“OCR”) functionality to process uploaded filesand extract key data therefrom for storage in the data repository.Typically, software applications utilized to seek out data fromunstructured or semi-structured documents require “training” with samplesets of documents. This training enables the processing softwareapplication to recognize key data (e.g., text, data glyphs, bar codes,Optical Mark Recognition, logos, connected components, etc.) on a givendocument to classify the document and, based on this classification,seek out and extract business-specific data therefrom. Typically,business documents are semi-structured and include key words andinformation that the processing software application may be trained todetect and extract. The processing software application is “trained”with sample sets of documents and documents related to an industry orbusiness that is specific to the customer, thereby enabling theclassification of documents and extraction of business-specific datatherefrom. That is, the document training and rules for extracting datatherefrom may be specific to each customer. In embodiments, theprocessing software application may be trained with semi-structureddocuments that are well-known in a given industry to limit thecomplexity and costs associated with automating the DSG. In the eventthat the DSG fails to classify a document or wrongly classifies adocument, the customer may correct the results, accordingly. Likewise,the customer may verify that documents have been correctly classified.With each document successfully classified, verified, and/or corrected,the accuracy of the processing software application improves. Further,the DSG is provided with knowledge and/or regulatory compliance forspecific industries and is able to detect and tag documents accordingly.

Opening or selecting the in-basket 220 reveals information such as alisting of documents currently being classified and document status(e.g., “finished”, “review”, etc.). Opening or selecting a review folder230 on the interface 200 allows the user to review documents classifiedby the DSG and select specific documents to view information such as thedocument image, the document classification, and any metadata extractedfrom the document(s). The customer may verify any of the above-listedinformation and/or correct any errors made by the DSG during processing.In this manner, the DSG is re-trained with verified and/or correctedinformation relating to specific documents and/or classifications ofdocuments. For example, if the processing software application is unableto extract data from a document and/or classify the document withcertainty, the customer is alerted through the review folder 230. Thecustomer may verify the classification of the document and/or the datafrom the document and, further, make corresponding modifications.Further, the DSG is self-learning in that each successful classificationand extraction related to a processed document enables the DSG toaccumulate a so-called “knowledge-base” of documents specific to thecustomer's preferences and/or business. In this way, the DSG learns witheach document classified, whether successfully or unsuccessfully andsubsequently verified and/or modified. That is, once a document ordocument type has been verified, subsequent documents of the same orsubstantially similar type may not require verification by the customerthereafter. Classified and verified documents are stored in the datarepository of the hosted server 140.

Based on key data (e.g., business-specific data, industry-specific data,etc,) extracted from classified and/or verified documents, the DSG isadapted to automatically generate customer-specific service offers,service or business suggestions (e.g., computing and/or connectivityupgrade suggestions based on business volume), document summarizations,document redacting, notifications, events, progress, offers, and thelike. The customer may receive any of the above discussedcustomer-specific information (e.g., via email or any suitable method)on demand and/or periodically in accordance with the preference of thecustomer. A suitable software application (e.g., content managementsoftware) operating on the host server 140 is adapted to process digitalimages. The content management software may include, for example, aservices-specific application adapted to provide document or informationrelated technologies such as image clean up, data extraction (e.g.,optical character recognition), image classification, imageclassification vs. text classification, amount of color usage, and datamining. Further, the services-specific application is adapted to provideindustry-specific document category sets, workflows and routings,regulatory rules, and service links to customize the service accordingto industry and/or application. The content management software may alsoinclude, for example, a customer-specific application adapted to processand store images and/or data uploaded by the user 110 such as, imagefiles, metadata related to the image files, unique classification rulesspecific to a customer, customizable permissions, and/or notificationsof events and/or triggers related to data stored for a customer.

The customer may view their documents stored in the data repository ofthe host server 140 by selecting a repository icon 210 on theirinterface 200 to access the data repository via the SBS website 130, aswill be discussed in further detail below with reference to FIG. 3. Inthis manner, the customer is able to perform various tasks such as, forexample, searching for documents, producing and/or subscribing toreports, viewing image files, and viewing metadata related to documents.Further, the customer is able to arrange for notifications related totheir documents and/or the industry in which the customer's businessoperates. A notifications folder 240 on the customer interface 200 maybe selected to view notifications to which the customer has subscribedand/or produced. Customer notifications may include, for example,reminders, compliance information, reports, work process information,alerts from user to user regarding responsibility for work flow steps,information updates (e.g., from an RSS feed or a Mashup), and the like.

Through the SBS website 130, the customer may learn about availableservices, test available services, and register for available services(e.g., through use of a wizard). For example, the SBS website 130 mayinclude website links to tools or services useful for the customer'sbusiness and/or forms and information websites (e.g., patents, legaladvice, tax forms, etc.). Further, the customer may select desiredservices, identify document classifications utilizing samples to trainthe DSG, identify desired notifications, run sample sets and checkresults, select reports to view or download, etc. The SBS website 130also provides hints and/or tips for correcting misclassified documentsor misinterpreted data.

Customers may subscribe to any one or more industry-specific and/orbusiness-specific services offered by the DSG under various payment orsubscription fee models. For example, customers may only be required topay for the services they use and not be obligated to a subscriptioncontract. Alternatively, the customer may be required to pay a one-timesubscription fee and/or a periodic subscription fee. Customers that wishto cancel a service to which they have subscribed, are given acomputer-readable medium (e.g., CD, DVD) having stored thereon thecustomer's documents and/or data including a tool to view and export thedata.

FIG. 3 shows a sample customized user view on the SBS website 130 toillustrate how a customer may search for and view processed documentsstored on the data repository. The view, referenced generally as 300, iscustomer-specific in accordance with the customer's business, industry,and/or preferences. Upon selection of the repository icon 210 (FIG. 2),the user 110 connects to the SBS website 130 via the Internet 120 toaccess the repository on the host server 140. In use, the user 110 isauthenticated utilizing a suitable software application (e.g., user nameand password) before gaining access to their documents and/or theircustom view 300. As shown in FIG. 3 by way of example, the custom view300 lists reports available to the user 110, search results, customerservices (e.g., document printing, document form design, document formrepository, etc.), and website links to useful business services relatedto the customer's business and/or industry (e.g., domain names, logodesign, regulatory compliance, loans, supplies ordering, etc.). Othercustomer-specific information may be available to the user 110 and theabove list should not be construed as exhaustive.

With reference to FIG. 4, a flow diagram 400 depicts a modular systemarchitecture for services hosted by the DSG according to an embodimentof the present disclosure. Generally, the architecture includes internalsystems 410 (e.g., delivery resources, operations, tech support, backoffice systems, financial controls, application builder, etc.), externalactors and/or systems 430 (e.g., customers, sales, vendors, etc.), andweb services 420, including three distinct document process phases,namely, create/capture 422, manage 422, and output delivery 426. From abird's eye view, the flow diagram 400 is structured vertically througheach layer, depending on what is needed for each pre-configured service.Within each phase is shown possible physical infrastructures utilized(e.g., MFD, Fax, etc.) and/or software platforms utilized (e.g., XPIM,XSP, XSM). A Digital Asset Manager layer 415 handles process output andelectronic file storage, as well as tie-ins to the existing internalsystems 410.

FIG. 5 illustrates system architecture of the DSG in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure and is referenced generally as500. The DSG system 500 includes a DSG manager 520 operating, forexample, on the host server 140 (FIG. 1). The DSG manager 520 is adaptedto receive customer documents 510 through inbound gateways and/orrouting (e.g., eMail, Fax, MFD, Web Folder, etc.). Customer documents510 may be stored in a storage device or repository 526. Customerdocuments 510 may be accepted by the DSG manager 520 in any order and inany one of a variety of suitable file or document formats. The DSGsystem 500 allows for ad-hoc document input using intuitive input andoutput gateways to the DSG manager 520 such as, for example withoutlimitation, drag-n-drop, email, fax, and network scan. Further, the DSGsystem 500 provides a document classification and extraction engine 522to extract and process key data from documents utilizing specialized ortrained document classification and extraction technologies. Based uponextracted data, the DSG manager 520 generates business data output 530targeted at specific business services using outbound gateways androuting. In this manner, the DSG manager 520 performs, rather than thecustomer, processing and labor-intensive work related to documents andthe data extracted therefrom. Further, the DSG manager 520 generatesarchival versions of original input documents stored in the repository526. In embodiments, the DSG system 500 may store and/or displaydocuments in a common, normalized format (e.g., PDF).

The system 500 is built on so-called “dual-mode dynamic maturity model”engine. More specifically, one mode of the system 500 allows individualservices 524 to be managed or offered at different maturity levelsconcurrently. Another mode of the system 500 allows the maturity of thesystem as a whole to be managed independently. The system 500 as a wholeoffers multiple feedback loops (e.g., services feedback from individualservices 524, grid feedback from the document classification andextraction engine 522, etc.) and refinement tools to grow the maturityof the individual services offered by the DSG system 500 as well as theDSG system 500 as a whole. This configuration allows the customer toimprove their return on investment and enables the administrator of theDSG system 500 to improve efficiency of delivery to effectively providethe complete lifecycle for document processing and related services.

The DSG framework 500 may be embodied as a grid computing system thatcombines the network, storage, computing, and software elements toprovide centralized processing power to the customer and, moreover, toachieve a scaleable solution. The customer connects to and utilizes thecentralized processing power of the grid computing system to executespecific tasks related to the customer's business and/or industry inaccordance with a service subscription.

In embodiments, a variety of authentication mechanisms (e.g., username,password, etc.) may be employed to prevent unauthorized access to theDSG. In this scenario, authenticating information such as, for example,a username and password is required to access the hosted server 140. Inembodiments, the data repository may store documents and related data asdigital image files (e.g., JPG, GIF, PNG, TIF, etc.) or as PDF files inthe repository to provide archive protection. In this manner, the DSGmay offer a guarantee that uploaded documents will not be altered oncereceived and processed by the hosted server 140.

It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications. Also thatvarious presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives,modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequentlymade by those skilled in the art which are also intended to beencompassed by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A document processing method, comprising:receiving, at a server with a network interface, at least one electronicdocument from a user related to one of an industry and business that isspecific to the user, the server including a software applicationadapted to recognize a class of electronic documents to which the atleast one electronic document belongs and wherein the user is a businessentity; processing the at least one electronic document received fromthe user to extract business-specific data from the at least oneelectronic document based on a recognition that the at least oneelectronic document belongs to the class of electronic documents, theextracted data corresponding to a service being provided to the user;automatically mapping the extracted data from the at least one processedelectronic document to a data repository on the server, the datarepository being accessible by the user through the network interface;electronically generating output data based on the mapped data from thedata repository to the user, wherein the output data corresponds to aservice suggestion being provided to the user, the output data includinga recommendation to the user related to modifying and improving a workpractice of the user, the recommendation including a processsimplification and/or an improved way of the user doing business as abusiness entity; providing the user with access to the mapped data onthe data repository; receiving one of a verification and a correction ofthe mapped data; training the software application based on one of theverification and the correction; and, automatically classifying asubsequently processed electronic document that is substantially similarto a previously processed electronic document from which mapped data hasbeen one of verified and corrected to train the software application inaccordance with the class of the previously processed electronicdocument.
 2. The document processing method according to claim 1,further comprising: training the software application to recognize theclass of the electronic document, wherein the training is based on theservice being provided to the user.
 3. The document processing methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a behavior of theuser based on access to the mapped data on the data repository; andgenerating the output data based on the monitored behavior of the user.4. The document processing method according to claim 3, wherein themonitored behavior of the user corresponds to at least one of afrequency with which a user accesses particular mapped data, aprocessing of a plurality of electronic documents that are substantiallysimilar, and a mapping of common data from a plurality of processedelectronic documents to the data repository.
 5. The document processingmethod according to claim 3, further comprising: detecting a maturitylevel of the monitored behavior, wherein the output data generated isbased on the detected maturity level.
 6. The document processing methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the output data includes a notification tothe user, the notification corresponding to at least one of themonitored behavior of the user, the detected maturity level of themonitored behavior, and the service being provided to the user.
 7. Thedocument processing method according to claim 5, wherein a maturitylevel of the output data progresses in proportion to the maturity levelof the monitored behavior.
 8. The document processing method accordingto claim 1, wherein the service being provided to the user is based onat least one of a type of business corresponding to the user and a typeof industry corresponding to the type of business.
 9. The documentprocessing method according to claim 1, wherein the user is providedwith at least one desktop icon to facilitate access to the datarepository through the network interface via a remote computing device.10. A scaleable integration framework for processing electronicdocuments to provide business services, comprising: a document servicesgrid accessible by a user through a web-based interface portal andadapted to receive electronic documents related to one of an industryand business that is specific to a user, wherein the user is a businessentity, the document services grid comprising: a hosted server includinga software application adapted to process at least one electronicdocument received from the user to extract business-specific data basedon a recognition of a class of the at least one processed electronicdocument, the extracted data corresponding to a service being providedto the user; and a data repository operating on the hosted server andconfigured to store extracted data mapped from the at least oneprocessed electronic document, wherein the document services grid isconfigured to automatically generate output data to the user based onthe mapped data, the output data including a recommendation to the userrelated to modifying and improving a work practice of the user, therecommendation including a process simplification and/or an improved wayof the user doing business as a business entity, wherein the frameworkreceives one of a user-provided verification and correction of themapped data to train the software application based on one of theverification and the correction, the training is adapted forsubsequently processing an electronic document that is substantiallysimilar to a previously processed electronic document from which mappeddata has been one of verified and corrected to train the softwareapplication, the subsequently processed electronic document isautomatically classified in accordance with the class of the previouslyprocessed electronic document.
 11. A scaleable integration frameworkaccording to claim 10, wherein the data repository is remotelyaccessible by the user through the web-based interface portal.
 12. Ascaleable integration framework according to claim 10, wherein the useris provided with at least one desktop icon to facilitate access to thedata repository through the web-based interface portal via a remotecomputing device.
 13. A method for utilizing a scaleable integrationframework to provide business services, comprising: receiving, at aserver with a network interface, at least one electronic document from auser, the user being a business entity, the document being related to anindustry or business that is specific to the user, the server includinga software application adapted to recognize a class of an electronicdocument to which the at least one electronic document belongs;processing the at least one electronic document received from the userto extract business or industry data from the at least one electronicdocument based on a recognition that the class of the at least oneprocessed electronic document belongs to the class of electronicdocuments, the extracted data corresponding to a service being providedto the user; automatically mapping extracted data from the at least oneprocessed electronic document to a data repository on the hosted server,the data repository being accessible by the user through the networkinterface; monitoring a behavior of the user based on access to the datamapped to the data repository; and electronically generating output datafrom the data repository based on the monitored behavior of the user,wherein the output data corresponds to a service suggestion beingprovided to the user, the service suggestion including at least one of aprocess simplification and improved way of doing business for modifyingand improving an industry or business work practice of the user as abusiness entity; providing the user with access to the mapped data forreceiving one of a verification and a correction to train the softwareapplication based on one of the verification and the correction; and,automatically classifying a subsequently processed electronic documentthat is substantially similar to a previously processed electronicdocument from which mapped data has been one of verified and correctedto train the software application in accordance with the class of thepreviously processed electronic document.
 14. The method according toclaim 13, further comprising: detecting a maturity level of themonitored behavior of the user; and electronically generating outputdata based on a progression of the detected maturity level.
 15. Themethod according to claim 14, further comprising: generating anotification to the user of the service, the notification correspondingto at least one of the monitored behaviors and the progression of thedetected maturity level.
 16. The method according to claim 14, wherein amaturity level of the generated output data progresses in proportion tothe maturity level of the monitored behavior.
 17. The method accordingto claim 13, further comprising: providing the user with at least onedesktop icon to facilitate access to the data repository through thenetwork interface via a remote computing device.